Viewpoints
College needs
public's help
The development of a satellite branch of Sand
hills Community College in downtown Raeford
could be one of the most significant things to hap
pen to this community in a number of years.
However, in order for the college to become a
reality, the project needs the active and visible
support of local residents and the members of the
Hoke County Commission.
The college offers a way to raise the quality of
life for residents who need training but who do
not have the means of traveling to existing schools
outside the county. The facility could also offer
instruction for those who wish to raise their level
of training and want to acquire more technical
skills.
In addition the school can provide immediate
aid to a rapidly dying downtown Raeford by
bringing new activity to the area. Not only would
students eat in existing restaurants and shop in ex
isting stores, but new businesses, like book stores
and _ other pupil-oriented shops, might also
develop as a result of the school.
A community college here could go a long way
towards showing industry management and pro
spective residents that Hoke County cares about
its educational system and is attempting to im
prove it.
All of the ills of Hoke County will not be cured
by a college, but the facility will get this county on
the road to recovery.
We support the Chamber of Commerce and
others who are working to get a college in
downtown Raeford, and hope that other residents
and the members of the Hoke County Commis
sion will join them in the effort.
Editorials
Kudos for the
Bucks' season
In their drive for the state basketball champion
ship, the Hoke High Bucks varsity squad showed
character, determination and promise for next
season.
The Bucks, who got a late start on the road to
the crown, ended their year in the semi-final
round of the 4-A East Regional with a good show
ing against the now state champion Wilson-Fite.
Despite trailing by 10 points going into the fourth
quarter, the Hoke High team fought back and
almost pulled off their fifth straight upset.
Earlier, and just when their frustrated fans
were beginning to put the pompoms away, the
11-11 Bucks came to life, knocked off two teams
with better season marks and upended the
league's best squad, Pinecrest, to capture the con
ference championship and a chance at the state
crown.
The odds, which had been against them all
season, finally caught up with the Bucks in
Wilson.
However, the team members should be com
mended and should take pride in their ac
complishments. During the year, the Bucks used
hard work to overcome the obstacles like having a
new coach, a new system of play, the loss of a top
shooter to poor grades and inexperience.
New Head Coach Greg Killingsworth and his
staff earned their stars and so did the team. We
congratulate Hoke High for a season to be proud
of, and we look forward to next year.
"I'm going to vota for Rich Llttla... H? doas ? battar Impersonation
of J.F.K. than Gary Hart do?."
Burlington employees
are helping community
and making life better
By Kay Thomas
Do you think Burlington In
dustries does nothing for you?
If you live in Raeford and say
this ? you're wrong!
I began thinking about all this
recently when I heard that Gib and
Donna Bernhardt were moving.
Now Gib and Donna are not my
best friends, but I do know a lot
about them. They're in my church.
They have a child who's my child's
age. Hundreds of people could say
these same sentences.
However, we can all appreciate
the contribution of Gib, Donna
and their sons to Raeford and
Hoke County.
A quick list of Gib's involve
ment here includes the Chamber of
Commerce, the Raeford Fire
Department, the Finance Division
of his church and hog-cooking in
the finest Southern tradition.
Donna's lovely voice, her music
and creativity have been assets
everywhere she's turned. She has
been in choirs, directed adult
choirs and children's choirs, she's
worked in Bible Schools summer
after summer. She plans programs
and smiles and encourages the par
ticipants. She is valued for her
ideas, thoughts and her honest opi
nions.
The Bernhardts have two sons.
They are Scouts, athletes, singers,
bell ringers, acolytes. They are fine
citizens.
What does this mean to you --
the Hoke Countian who does not
work for Burlington Industries or
Looking On
have anyone in the family who
does?.
This one caring family is an ex
ample. Burlington Industries
brings families to Raeford who
care about more than their jobs.
These people care about our
community. Our civic organiza
tions, our emergency services, our
arts, our Scouts, our United Way,
our churches, our ball teams - all
are enriched.
This is not a one-sided situation.
Burlington Industries has pros
pered here. There is new expansion
and there will continue to be new
faces.
Raeford and Hoke County have
to provide a good community
spirit which welcomes newcomers.
We must recognize our assets and
appreciate them, work and grow
with them.
Letters To The Editor
Drug abuse
is concern
for everyone
Dear Hoke County Residents:
For those of you who have
worked to combat the drug prob
lems in our community, I salute
you.
There is a continuing need,
however, to face this problem and
deal with it.
Whether or not your life is
touched personally with this prob
lem, the fact that you are often on
our highways with drug abusers
does indeed make this situation
yours and mine.
Many citizens in our community
are interested in forming a drug
task force. You need no special
qualifications to be a part of this
group except an interest in the
problem. Sujeh task forces have
been quite successful in other
areas, but it does require the sup
port of the community.
What exactly are the drug prob
lems in Hoke County, or do we
really have any? What can be done
to arm our children with the facts
on drugs?
How can parents spot drug use
by their children? And what help
does the community offer once a
problem has been identified? I in
vite you to come and find some of
these answers.
Look for the announcement of
the first task force meeting. Hope
to see you there.
Mary Neil King
Polish visitors
need assistance
To the editor:
About five years ago two girls
from Poland spent almost a year in
Raeford on a farm exchange pro
gram.
Part of their time here they
worked for the Gozzi Turkey
Farms in Southern Pines. Most of
the time they worked at House of
Raeford because farm industry
was part of the program.
Both of the girls were well
educated and very nice.
While here they attended the
Catholic Church and worked
closely with Ellen Willis and the
County Extension Program.
Many of you will remember
Maria Lufer and Irene Kuzaj.
Maria has married arid her last
name is now Patka.
I received a letter from Marie
last week, which follows this letter.
I am planning to mail a box of
children's clothes to her within two
weeks.
If anyone has anything they
would like to donate, used or new ?
for girls or boys - infants to size 6
or so, please call 875-8531 or
875-8308 or bring them to my of
fice (Log Home) on Red Springs
Road.
I will be glad to give you a
receipt for income tax purposes.
I'm sure you have read about the
trouble they are having in Poland
and have had in the past.
I'm sure Maria would not have
written me if there is not a sincere
need. I'm sure she will give
anything she cannot use to other
needy people.
Evelyn Manning
Dear Family Manning,
Thank you very much for the
letter that I received frpm you.
Thank you also for the invita
tion, but I will not be able to go
anywhere soon. 1 got married.
I have one child, who is 2.5 years
old, and I am going to have
another baby ;n May.
If you w uld like to spend
holidays in T oland I invite you to
visit us.
I have one request to you.
Please send me the ointment
Vapo-Rub for my baby and some
clothes for children because they
are not available here.
With love,
Mary and the family
Last journey
of missionary
is remembered
Editor's Note: This letter, which
was sent to the Crest wood
Presbyterian Church, was shared
with us by Mrs. Earl Gordon of
Raeford. The letter explains the
circumstances of the death of
former Hoke County resident Jane
Todd McCain Reagan. She was the
daughter of the late Dr. P.P. Mc
Cain and Sadie McBrayer McCain.
The former McCain Sanitorium
was named for Dr. McCain, who
ran the facility for many years.
Todd Reagan was serving as a mis
sionary in Japan at the time of her
death. The letter is from her hus
band.
? Dear Friends,
I arrived back in Japan on
December 16, then on December
21 participated in a memorial ser
vice for Todd at Waseda Church
and am now picking up various
work responsibilities.
When I got organized enough to
begin the rewarding yet sad task of
writing those who helped in
various ways during Todd's bout
with cancer I found that there were
over 800 names of people to whom
I want to express gratitude. This
explains my rather impersonal
means of saying thanks and telling
about our journey.
After our emergency trip back to
the States on October 19, because
of recurring cancer, Todd died at
home in Mission Haven, Decatur,
Georgia on November 27.
At first after our return Todd
continued to take short walks
under the trees at Mission Haven,
though after November 13 she was
no longer able to get out.
Aside from two episodes, she
had very little pain since we used
an electrical stimulator device to
prevent arthritic pain.
During the last week, Todd ex
perienced distress at not being able
to get enough air into her lungs
since the cancer had filled much of
her body cavity so that her lungs
didn't have enough room to ex
pand.
That last week was spent in a
wheel chair (in the living room)
since she could breathe more easily
sitting up than in bed.
To mitigate the distress of not
being able to breathe adequately
we gave Todd morphine shots the
last eight days.
Missionary-to-Brazil-nurse Fern
Jennings gave the shots at first
then I took over the last five days.
Todd asked us to keep her under
heavy sedation the last four days
because the distress caused by ox
ygen shortage had become ex
treme.
She died at 3:38 a.m. on the first
Sunday in Advent. We immediate
ly had a short worship service in
the living room led by John Storey,
pastor of Clifton Presbyterian
Church, Todd's Church home in
the States.
On Dec. 5. a memorial service
that celebrated resurrection was
held at Clifton Presbyterian
Church. John Storey planned the
service in response to Todd's sug
gestions, and she approved the
final form of the service even to
the content of the prayers. There
was a period of about 30 minutes
in the service called "words of
life," as friends and family shared
memories of Todd.
At the reception immediately
following the service, several
friends said that they had never
participated in such a joyful "final
service."
On December 21, a similar ser
vice was held at Waseda Church,
our church home in Tokyo. Both
services ended with the Hallelujah
Chorus from Handel's Messiah. A
Japanese friend commented,
"Todd would have enjoyed that
service."
Friends in both countries made
contributions (instead of buying
flowers) totaling over $3,600 which
were divided half and half between
stateside projects and Japan based
mission activity. The contributions
at both memorial services witness
ed to the belief that response to
God's love transcends national
boundaries.
The primary Japan based pro
ject was the Asian Health Institute,
a hospital-related medical facility
designed and operated by Japanese
Christians to help improve health
care delivery systems in third world
countries. Asia Rural Institute also
received support from the con
tributions in Japan.
(Continued on page 3B)
The News-Journal
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2nd Clan PotUt* ?t Rarford. N.C.
(USPS 3??-2M)
Candidate's life is more than a turkey trot
By Warren Johnston
The candidate was exhausted. He could barely lift his suitcase off
of the conveyor belt of the airport baggage pickup station.
In fact the old battered bag, tied together with rope, had whirled
by twice before he could muster the strength to grab it.
Who wouldn't be tired after four days of non-stop campaigning?
He had charmed his way Monday through a luncheon of the mid
wives' caucus in Washington. Later that day, it was the Save The
Mice of America leadership conference which got his attention at an
afternoon tea. Then, it was a jet to Des Moines and dinner with the
plow makers union.
Tuesday was pretty much the same. Breakfast with Iowa Corn
Shuckers, then to Yuma, Arizona for a taco lunch and the Gila
monster races and by 3 p.m. in Laredo, Texas to judge the Jumping
Bean Leap. That night he delivered the annual State of the
Magnolia address at the Hoop Skirt Makers Convention in
Jackson, Mississippi and went to bed al Jay and Jan's Motel with
an upset stomach.
The pace quickened on Wednesday and Thursday, and finally,
after spending 30 minutes shaking hands at the Retired Buglers Hall
of Fame in Lima City, Tennessee, his plane took off for North
Carolina and home.
"How did you do?" his wife asked as he tossed his rope-tied suit
case into the back seat of the *63 Chevy.
"Well, we were a big hit with the furriers in Weasel Bay, and I
A
The Puppy Papers
think we'll get the endorsement from the Zero Kittens growth group
out of Frisco City, Alabama," the candidate said.
"You look exhausted. It's not even April. You can't keep this
pace up until the May primary," his wife said. "You'll catch your
death."
But the candidate was more worried about catching up with his
competition before the Final tally was taken in May. He was down
in the polls and needed to turn on the steam for a last push.
"I'll rest after the election," he retorted.
He knew his wife was a worrier and could not comprehend why
he needed support from out-of-state groups. She did not under
stand that endorsements, no matter who they came from, meant
dollars in the campaign coffers.
"You've got to have the backing to win," he told her.
He had started campaigning last spring, but that was too late by
today's standards.
"The early candidate always gets the endorsements," his political
mentor had told him.
The mentor was right. All in-state endorsements had been gob
bled up by candidates seeking the higher ofFices two years ago.
There wasn't much left for the local hopefuls, and the few crumbs
remaining were picked up by those seeking offices like the county
commission or the school board.
When it got down to clerk of courts, well, you had to hustle.
"What on earth could you tell a poultry group in Montana
anyway to get them to endorse you as a Clerk of Courts for a North
Carolina county?" his wife asked.
"Oh, you just tell them the truth, and that you will campaign
vigorously to get chicken plucking made an official contest in the
1988 Olympics," the candidate said.
"Have you seen the latest television ads? Your opponents are ac
cusing you of getting all of your support from outside the
southeastern United States," his wife said.
The news hit him like a rock. He would have to call Raleigh, get
the TV crews together and tape an entire new series of spots rebut
ting the unwarranted attack.
He would need more money. He made his wife turn the car
around, and head back to the airport.
If everything went right, he could put in an appearance at the kick
off dinner for the 12th annual Toad Sucking Festival being held in
Outer, South Carolina, and still make it in time to judge the Praline
Toss scheduled for dawn in Midcentral, Georgia.
Both events were perfect for the upcoming ad campaign.
"We can't let anybody back home think I'm dodging the issues,"
he told his wife as he boarded the plane.